Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by Kim Williams
Summary: This is all my thoughts and ideas for what may happen in the 5th Harry Potter book. *IT GETS BETTER AS THE STORY PROGRESSES - DON'T JUDGE IT BY THE FIRST FEW CHAPTERS* Please R&R, but only if you have read the entire story. Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

Harry was doing his homework in secret again, in the dead of night with a lamp. He frequently had stabbing pains in his scar, now that Lord Voldemort had risen again, so he was finding it hard to concentrate. Just then, Hedwig flew through the window. She was finally back after a long route of deliveries, and had many replies. Harry quickly abandoned his homework and eagerly began to open them. The first was from Ron.  
  
Harry,  
  
You have to come visit soon. Mum's worried about you and you must be having a horrible time with the muggles.  
  
Dumbledore wanted you to spend the first part of the summer with them, but Mom reckons he'll let you come visit us pretty soon. Coming to get you last time by Floo powder was a complete disaster. Do the muggles still have the fireplace blocked? The ton-tongue toffee was hilarious, though.  
  
Hope to see you soon, Ron  
  
Harry smiled, remembering last summer when the Weasleys had come to pick him up. Fred and George gave Dudley a ton-tongue toffee and his tongue swelled enormously. It was all very funny. The next letter was from Hermione.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I hope your summer is going well and that you'll be able to go to Ron's house soon. I recently visited Viktor in Bulgaria, enclosed are some pictures of us there. I'm really glad I met him, but since he lives so far away I'm not too sure it's going to last. How have you been? I hope your scar isn't too painful. Watch out for yourself and keep in touch with Sirius. Love from Hermione  
  
The last letter was written in a hand Harry didn't recognize. He ripped it open and read it.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I'm sorry for what you had to go through last year at school. You're a very brave, honorable person, and I'd like to get to know you better. I'm not just a little girl anymore, I've grown up and I think you and I could turn out to be something. -Ginny  
  
Harry sat still on his bed, astonished. Not because Ginny's feelings were something new, but because he was starting to think maybe he agreed with her. Maybe her feelings were more than just a school girl crush on the famous Harry Potter.  
  
He decided to write back.  
  
Dear Ginny,  
  
Harry was stumped for ideas of how to reply. He knew how he felt inside, but he had no idea how to express it on paper. Finally he just picked up his quill and began to write.  
  
I'm willing to give us a chance.  
  
I'll see you later this summer, I'm coming to visit. From Harry  
  
"There." Harry said aloud.  
  
He gave the note to Hedwig and she flew off into the night. He watched after her for awhile, wondering what this next year at Hogwarts was going to be like. So much was different. Lord Voldemort was back, and he was sure he was going to be watched over by everyone. Ginny and him may begin to develop a serious relationship. He had a feeling Ron and Hermione might have a thing for each other too. He sighed and looked at the clock. It was 2:15am. He decided he should really get some sleep. As he was falling asleep, Cho passed through his mind. He hadn't thought of her for a long time. After all, she had never really shown any true interest in him. Harry made a promise to himself to move on and start something new with Ginny. He fell asleep smiling that night. 


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning he awoke to Hedwig nipping his arm to get him to wake up. She had not a response from Ginny but a letter from Mrs. Weasley. Harry rubbed his eyes and put his glasses on. Then he ripped it open excitedly.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
Professor Dumbledore has contacted us and you can come for the rest of the summer with us! We can pick you up on Sunday morning at 10am - your birthday! Don't worry, we won't arrive by Floo Powder this time. Arthur told me what a disaster it was last time. Make sure you tell your Aunt and Uncle where you are going. We are all looking forward to seeing you soon!  
  
With love, Mrs. Weasley.  
  
Harry was so happy. As if the Dursleys would care where he went! They would just be glad to have him out of the house, even if it meant making him happy. Now Harry remembered Ginny, and began to wonder if the atmosphere would be tense around her. He certainly hoped not, as he was beginning to like her more and more, even though he hadn't seen her for over a week since school ended.  
  
Harry got dressed and was about to go downstairs for breakfast when he suddenly thought of Sirius. He hadn't heard from him for a long time. Surely he couldn't have been caught? It would have been all over the news. If he had missed it on TV, either Ron or Hermione would have mentioned it in their letters. Where was he?  
  
Harry was disturbed from his thoughts with a loud rumble from his stomach telling him he was hungry. He entered the kitchen and as usual, no one took any notice of him. He sat down at the table and as he began to eat his breakfast of a grapefruit quarter (Dudley hadn't lost much weight and was still on his diet) he jumped in surprise at a large picture of Sirius Black on the front of Uncle Vernon's newspaper.  
  
Harry made a mental note to try and steal Uncle Vernon's newspaper later. If he showed too much interest right in front of him, it may appear much too obvious that he knew him.  
  
Uncle Vernon put down his newspaper and began to eat breakfast. Towards the end, when Aunt Petunia was clearing away the dishes, Harry decided to approach the subject of him going to the Weasley's for the remainder of the summer. He cleared his throat. Uncle Vernon glared at him with a look of utmost dislike.  
  
"I've been invited to Ron's house this summer." and he left it at that.  
  
Uncle Vernon frowned. "They're the ones who blew up our fireplace, aren't they?"  
  
"They aren't coming that way this time." Harry said quickly. Uncle Vernon didn't look convinced. "They'll come to get me tomorrow at 10 in the morning. I'll be gone until next summer."  
  
Uncle Vernon slowly began to decide. "Alright," he began. "You can go. But if they blow anything up this time, I'm calling the cops!"  
  
"Okay," Harry replied happily, and hurried up to his room to write a letter to Ron to warn them not to arrive in a way that would make Uncle Vernon call the cops. 


	3. Chapter 3

That night, Harry had a strange dream. All the Death Eaters were there, and so was Voldemort. He seemed to be holding some sort of meeting. They were discussing their plans... something to do with murders..... but who was it? Who were they planning to murder? Was it one person or a group of people? Harry couldn't hear their voices clearly enough... everything was slightly blurred. Suddenly, Voldemort let out a harsh, cruel, menacing laugh full of terror and Harry awoke from such terrible pain in his scar it felt although his forehead would burst into flames. He looked around quickly, sweating with horror. Who were they planning to kill? Could it be him? Or maybe someone else more important....  
  
Harry glanced at his watch - 8:30am. At least the Weasleys would be here to pick him up in an hour and a half. That would distract him. His scar was still stinging, but Harry was looking forward to a great day - his birthday - and didn't want to spend it pre-occupied with Lord Voldemort. He got dressed and went down to breakfast.  
  
Harry began wondering how the Weasleys were going to arrive. Mrs. Weasley had said that they weren't coming by floo powder this time because of the disaster last time.... Surely they wouldn't apparate? because he didn't know how to. They wouldn't come by car, because the only car they used to have, their old Ford Anglia, was crashed into the Whomping Willow by him and Ron in their 2nd year. It was now lost in the Forbidden Forest.  
  
Breakfast was quiet, and accompanied by a few occasional glares from Uncle Vernon. When it was over, Harry quickly hurried upstairs. He had a few last minute things to pack. When his room was empty, he let out a huge sigh of relief. The Weasleys should be arriving any minute now. Harry anxiously ran down the stairs, eager to know how they were going to arrive. He heard the doorbell ring, and ran to open it. Ron was standing there grinning, and in the driveway there was the best car he had ever seen!  
  
"Is that - is that YOUR car?" asked Harry, amazed. The Weasleys weren't exactly rich, and Harry doubted they would be able to afford such an extravagant car.  
  
"You bet!" replied Ron happily. "Remember all the gold we won that time we went to Egypt? Well, we didn't spend it all! Dad put a good amount in a separate account at Gringotts and we earned a lot of interest. We saved enough to buy this!" he waved a hand towards the car behind him.  
  
Harry just gaped at it. "Wow." he managed to say. "Well, could you give me a hand with my trunk? It's up in my room."  
  
"Sure," Ron said. He motioned for Fred and George to come help. They all carried it out to the car.  
  
Uncle Vernon didn't look nearly as furious as he had looked last summer when the Weasleys had come to pick him up, but he, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all still looking frightened  
  
"Bye!" Harry called from inside the car.  
  
Uncle Vernon waved a reluctant hand.  
  
At last, he was free from muggle life! Harry looked around in the car and saw that the entire Weasley family had come except Percy. Harry assumed he was working again. He met Ginny's eyes and gave her a shy smile which she returned.  
  
"Hello, Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley said. "Have you had a good summer so far?  
  
"Oh, just wonderful, I expect." Fred said sarcastically. "Living with those muggles must be loads of fun."  
  
"Especially Dudley." added George, grinning.  
  
Everyone started laughing, remembering the ton-tongue toffees last summer. It was a pleasant drive to The Burrow. 


	4. Chapter 4

When the arrived, Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried up to Ron's room to talk. Ron brought up the subject of Sirius.  
  
"Harry, did you see what was in the Daily Prophet yesterday? About Sirius?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, no!" Harry exclaimed, clapping his head to his forehead. "I saw Uncle Vernon's paper, it had a large picture of Sirius on the front! I was going to try and get a better look at it. Did you read the article?" He asked anxiously.  
  
"Well, only the one in the Daily Prophet. I don't keep up with the muggle news." Ron replied. "It said that he had been sighted not far from Hogsmeade."  
  
"Do you think he's still using that cave as a hideout?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Maybe..." Harry said thoughtfully. "Remember how Dumbledore told him to 'alert the old crowd'? He also mentioned for him to stay at Lupin's. Wouldn't me be there, then?"  
  
Ron shrugged. "Have you gotten a letter from him recently?" asked Hermione.  
  
"No." Harry replied. "Do you reckon I should write him now?"  
  
Ron and Hermione nodded fervently.  
  
Harry borrowed a quill and a spare bit of parchment from Ron and sat down to write.  
  
Dear Sirius,  
  
I heard there was an article in the Daily Prophet about you being sighted not far from Hogsmeade. You really ought to be more careful. I sure hope your name gets cleared soon; the Dursley's are a nightmare!  
  
I haven't heard from you for awhile, so I just wanted to make sure everything was alright. Are you staying at Professor Lupin's? Say hello to him and Buckbeak for me.  
  
By the way, I had another dream about Voldemort and I awoke with my scar burning. It hurts frequently now. I just thought you should know.  
  
Write me back as soon as you can. I'm at Ron's for the rest of the summer. Bye - Harry.  
  
Ron and Hermione, who had been reading over Harry's shoulder, both spoke at the same time.  
  
"What dream?" asked Hermione.  
  
"You had another one?" asked Ron.  
  
Harry described the dream in as much detail as he could, although it was brief.  
  
"I wonder if your dreams really are real." Ron wondered.  
  
"It's likely." Hermione said. "After all, the last one was. Also, I read something about curse scars affecting and sometimes causing factual dreams in 'Interpreting Dreams' by Francesca LeCru."  
  
Ron - Harry was surprised - didn't roll his eyes or make any comments about how Hermione read too much. Instead, he merely smiled at her, and she smiled back.  
  
Harry looked at Ron, and then at Hermione. They were looking at each other in a way Harry had never seen them look at each other before.  
  
Ron saw Harry looking at them and said in a not-so-innocent voice: "What?"  
  
Harry grinned. "Is there something going on here that I should know about?"  
  
"Like what?" asked Hermione, blushing.  
  
"You fancy each other, don't you?" Harry proclaimed.  
  
"What rubbish!" Ron exclaimed, looking rather embarrassed.  
  
"Absolute nonsense." Hermione agreed, blushing.  
  
"Sure, sure." Harry said. "Whatever you say. I'll leave you two alone now."  
  
"Where are you going?" asked Ron.  
  
"To find Ginny." Harry replied shortly, and left the room, closing the door behind him. 


	5. Chapter 5

He climbed up one flight of stairs and walked down the hallway until he reached a room with a sign on the door reading: 'Ginny's Room'. Harry knocked nervously and waited.  
  
Ginny opened the door smiling. She really did look like she was growing up.  
  
She was taller, with bright red hair framing her pretty face perfectly. Bright green eyes sparkled from behind her soft eyelashes. There was a handful of freckles sprinkled evenly across her nose and cheeks. Her lips were light pink and smiling.  
  
"H-hi..." Harry stuttered, almost speechless and astounded by her breath- taking beauty.  
  
"Hi, Harry." Ginny replied. "Want to come in?"  
  
"Sure." he said, not taking his eyes off of her.  
  
There was a short pause.  
  
"I guess you got my letter?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"Yes." she replied. They looked deep into each other's eyes.  
  
"I meant it." Harry said, moving closer to her.  
  
"So did I." Ginny said in almost a whisper.  
  
They moved closer together as Harry slowly placed his hand over hers and grasped it tightly. He brought it up to his lips and kissed it lightly. He looked deep into her eyes and smiled at her.  
  
When he finally let go, Ginny slowly broke out into a gorgeous smile.  
  
Harry smiled too, taking her face into his hands. "You are so beautiful." he said.  
  
Ginny smiled happily. "I've been dreaming about this for so long."  
  
Suddenly they heard footsteps coming up the stairs and towards Ginny's room. Harry spun around.  
  
"In the closet!" Ginny whispered.  
  
Harry scrambled into the closet and quickly shut the door just in time.  
  
He heard Mrs. Weasley talking to Ginny, although the sounds were slightly muffled.  
  
"Alright, then come down as soon as you can." said Mrs. Weasley. "I can't seem to find Harry. Do you know where he is?"  
  
Through a crack in the closet door, Harry saw Ginny shake her head.  
  
"Okay." said Mrs. Weasley, and Harry could hear her leave the room and shut the door.  
  
"Harry ..." Ginny whispered.  
  
Harry opened the door and climbed out. "What's going on?" he asked. "Why do we have to go downstairs?"  
  
"For dinner." Ginny replied.  
  
"Okay..." Harry said uncertainly. "So, um, how should we do this?"  
  
"I think you should go first." Ginny said hurriedly. "Just say you were in the washroom or outside or something. I'll come down in a minute."  
  
"Alright." Harry said, turning to leave.  
  
"Harry - " Ginny began  
  
Harry turned to face her.  
  
"I - I want to see you again." she said. "Is this going to go somewhere?"  
  
Harry smiled. "Of course." he said quietly. "I want it to."  
  
They held each other's glance for a few seconds longer until Harry spoke. "Okay, well, I'll see you downstairs."  
  
He turned and left the room, his heart pounding with joy. Ginny was amazing. Why hadn't he noticed it before? She certainly had grown up. Harry was lost in his own thoughts when he walked into the kitchen and heard singing. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Harry, Happy Birthday to you!!!" all the Weasleys and Hermione were singing, all standing around a large cake with blue icing reading: Happy 15th Birthday Harry!  
  
Harry grinned, speechless. He wasn't really expecting anything. There were also a few presents sitting on the table beside the cake.  
  
"Wow, thanks!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
Just then, Ginny entered the room, unnoticed by almost everyone, except Ron and Hermione. They gave Harry an odd look, and then Ron almost started laughing.  
  
"Sit down, Harry." Mrs. Weasley gestured to an empty chair.  
  
"Open your presents!" Mr. Weasley encouraged.  
  
"Let's eat the cake!" Ron said enthusiastically. He loved sweets.  
  
Mrs. Weasley began cutting cake and serving it, and Harry began opening his presents.  
  
The first was from Ron. It was a large assortment of sweets, including Fizzing Whizzbies, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, and Peppermint Toads.  
  
"Wow, Ron!" Harry said. "Thanks!"  
  
Ron grinned and pointed at Hermione's gift. Harry leaned forward and picked it up. It was so heavy, he had to use two hands to lift it.  
  
He stared from it to Hermione. She looked very excited. Ron was simply grinning, looking very happy. Everyone was waiting for him to open it.  
  
He ripped off the wrapping paper. Sitting in front of him was a large rectangular box with a gold key shaped like a broomstick taped to the top of it. There was also a large keyhole on the front side. He glanced at Hermione, who was almost dancing with excitement. She must have been very proud of her gift. Harry, who now had butterflies in his stomach and was feeling very anxious, ripped the key off the top of the box and shoved it in the keyhole........  
  
It clicked open, and Harry raised the top of the box. Two black, heavy- looking balls were strapped in their places with strong black metal, like a cage on the sides of the box. They were struggling against their confinement. In the middle was a larger, round red ball. On the top of the case was a small pocket which held a small golden ball with small, strong wings. Harry just sat there, gaping at it. It was a complete Quidditch set.  
  
Charlie gasped. He had played Quidditch at Hogwarts, and was extremely talented. He was told he could have even played Quidditch for England if he hadn't chosen to work with dragons in Romania.  
  
Harry looked up at Hermione. She was grinning more widely than he had ever seen her.  
  
"Hermione!" Harry cried. "This is amazing!"  
  
"I know!" Hermione squealed happily.  
  
All the Weasleys leaned in and started examining the brand-new Quidditch set. "Wow ..." they murmured. "Terrific ..."  
  
Harry pulled Hermione aside. "Hermione, how much did this cost you?" he asked seriously.  
  
Hermione squirmed guiltily.  
  
"Well ..." Hermione began, but Ron cut in.  
  
"Harry, can we have a game up in the orchard tomorrow?" he asked eagerly. "Can we? Me, you, Fred, George, Charlie and Bill, come on, lets try it out!"  
  
"Yeah, sure!" Harry replied quickly. Then his attention immediately re- focused back to Hermione. He looked at her curiously.  
  
"Um -" Hermione said uncomfortably. "Well, don't feel guilty ... but it was ... around 20 galleons."  
  
"20 galleons?!" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Well, you did buy Ron and I those Omnioculars at the Quidditch World Cup last summer." Hermione quickly explained. "And that was for no reason. I just felt I should get you a useful present for your birthday. And you're so talented at Quidditch ..."  
  
"Alright," Harry sighed. "Although I do feel kind of uncomfortable with you spending so much money on me ..."  
  
Hermione smiled. "I wanted to. You'll use it well. You better." she raised an eyebrow. "Or else." 


	7. Chapter 7

Harry grinned at Hermione and at Ron.  
  
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley called. "Come have some cake!"  
  
Later that night, Harry and Ron stayed up late talking about Quidditch and such. Cautiously, Harry approached the subject of Hermione and Ron having a relationship.  
  
"Ron," Harry began. "Do you and Hermione ..." he paused, trying to think of how to phrase the question.  
  
"Like each other?" Ron asked, avoiding making eye contact. "Yeah ..."  
  
There was silence for a few moments, and then Ron glanced at Harry, who was grinning.  
  
"I thought so!" Harry said.  
  
"So, do you and Ginny ..." Ron asked.  
  
"Yeah," Harry said. "She's a really great girl, I don't know why I didn't see it in her before."  
  
"Probably because she was so obsessed with your fame before." Ron guessed. "Now she's growing up and she's really starting to like you."  
  
"Yeah ..." Harry said, smiling happily. "Well, goodnight, Ron."  
  
"'Nite." Ron said sleepily.  
  
*  
  
Next morning, Harry awoke to Mrs. Weasley shaking him awake.  
  
"Come, on, Harry!" she said quietly, but cheerfully. "We're going to Diagon Alley today to get school supplies. Get ready to go!"  
  
Harry rubbed his eyes and reached around for his glasses. He found them, broken and squished under his pillow. He snatched his wand and muttered "Reparo!" They instantly looked good as new.  
  
Harry sat up and stretched.  
  
"Come on, Ron." he said. "I reckon we're leaving soon."  
  
Ron just mumbled something incoherent and turned over.  
  
Harry got up, got dressed, and went downstairs. Ginny was already sitting at the table, silently eating scrambled eggs and toast and reading her letter from Hogwarts.  
  
"'Morning." Harry yawned.  
  
Ginny looked up and smiled. "Hi." she said.  
  
Harry took a plate from the counter and helped himself to a large breakfast. He went and sat down beside Ginny.  
  
Ginny handed him his Hogwarts letter from a stack on the table. Harry ripped it open and began to read the usual; Catch the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 3/4 on September the 1st. Enclosed, as usual, was a list of all the supplies he would need for his fifth year. Harry pulled out a third piece of parchment, addressed to him in emerald green ink. He never got personal letters from Hogwarts; they were all always the same to each student. Curiously, Harry unfolded the letter and began to read.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
Because Lord Voldemort has risen again, we must take all necessary precautions to ensure your safety. Therefore, I will meet you and the Weasleys at Platform 9 3/4 and make sure you safely get on the Hogwarts Express. Don't stop to talk to anyone, and don't draw attention to yourself. Voldemort may have instructed some of the Death Eaters to try and capture you at school this year. It is my belief that you are still his major target. Although he may have moved onto larger plans, you're still the boy who lived and caused his downfall. Watch out for yourself, Harry.  
  
Sincerely, Professor Dumbledore  
  
Harry folded the letter up with shaking hands. Ginny glanced at him. 


	8. Chapter 8

"Harry, what's wrong?" she asked with concern. Just then, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George entered the kitchen. He shook his head and muttered: "Nothing."  
  
Soon they were ready to go. They traveled by floo powder, and Harry was quite careful to get out at Diagon Alley. He remembered only too well when he accidentally got out at Knockturn Alley in his second year. They stopped at Gringotts and got some gold out of their vaults. They purchased everything on their lists, and Fred and George went into a store that sold robes. Harry highly suspected that they were buying Ron new dress robes, as he, Harry, had told them to do with some of the Triwizard gold he had given them at the end of last year.  
  
*  
  
That night, as they were just finishing up dinner, Harry pulled Ron and Hermione aside to tell them about the letter he had received from Dumbledore. It was their last day of holidays, and Harry figured he should let someone know about it.  
  
"So, do you reckon I should tell your mom and dad, Ron?" Harry muttered when he finished telling them.  
  
"Well, they probably already know - " Ron began.  
  
"No, you should have told them straight away, Harry!" Hermione interrupted. "They need to know."  
  
Ron grinned. "Whatever you say, Hermione!" he said.  
  
Hermione smiled at him, and then pushed Harry towards Mr. Weasley.  
  
Harry told him all about the letter and showed it to him.  
  
Mr. Weasley read it slowly, his brow furrowed. "Alright," he said. "I'll wait with you until Dumbledore shows up."  
  
"OK," said Harry, not sure of what to say.  
  
"Harry," Mr. Weasley said seriously. "This is going to be a tough year for you. Dumbledore is working hard to ensure your safety, along with the safety of many others. Many people at the Ministry are working together on a plan called the Order of the Phoenix."  
  
"What's that?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"Well," Mr. Weasley began uncertainly. "The policy at the Ministry is whatever goes on there doesn't leave there, and that everything, unless otherwise stated, is kept secret. This is, of course, with the exception of Albus Dumbledore."  
  
"Will I find out this year?" Harry asked. "From Dumbledore?"  
  
"Oh, yes." Mr. Weasley replied. "The entire school will be aware. But for now, the Ministry has decided not to release any information."  
  
Harry nodded, and walked back to Ron and Hermione.  
  
"The Order of the Phoenix?" Ron repeated blankly.  
  
"Maybe it has something to do with Fawkes!" Hermione said excitedly.  
  
"Maybe..." Harry said thoughtfully.  
  
Just then, Mrs. Weasley called to them from the kitchen, saying that it was time to go to bed. On their way upstairs, Harry saw Fred and George standing nearby, grinning at him. They beckoned him over.  
  
"Hey, Harry." George said. He looked very excited about something.  
  
"Hi," Harry yawned.  
  
"Come up to our room later." Fred murmured. "We want to show you something."  
  
Harry looked at him, then at George, and back again. Both the twins seemed very anxious and excited. "OK," he said, without question. Then he began to walk up the stairs. "See you in the morning!" he called, winking at them. They winked back. 


	9. Chapter 9

Harry dashed up the stairs and caught up with Ron just as they were reaching his room. Once inside, Ron asked casually: "So, why do Fred and George want to see you later?"  
  
"No idea." Harry said, collapsing on the floor.  
  
Ron looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"What?" Harry asked.  
  
Ron shifted his gaze from Harry to the floor. "Well," he began. "I just wanted to ask you for awhile now ..." he paused.  
  
"Yes?" Harry asked again.  
  
"Well, I was just curious ..." Ron said looking rather embarrassed. "What did you do with the Triwizard gold that you won?" Harry noticed that Ron avoided making eye contact while saying this.  
  
"Oh," Harry said casually. "I gave it to Fred and George, you know, to get started on their joke shop. After all, they lost all their savings to Bagman."  
  
"Oh," Ron said. Harry was unable to read the expression on his face.  
  
"I really didn't want it or need it ..." Harry said.  
  
"Yeah." Ron replied.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Well, I'm going to go see what Fred and George are up to." Harry said, getting to his feet and making his way across the room to the door. He paused there, looking at Ron. "See you later." he said, and left the room.  
  
He walked down one flight of stairs and down the hall until he came to a room that was surely Fred and George's, for when he put his hand in position to knock, the door started vibrating and laughing. It gave Harry quite a shock, and he jumped backwards. Fred opened the door. "Hi, Harry!" he said brightly. George was standing behind him, laughing at the shocked look on Harry's face.  
  
Fred grinned. "Yeah," he said. "We bewitched the door. It gives people a shock the first few times, but Mum's starting to get annoyed."  
  
Harry laughed.  
  
"Come in," George said, opening the door more widely.  
  
"Yeah, we want to show you our plans for the gold you gave us!" Fred said excitedly.  
  
George hurried over to the closet and pulled out some bags of what Harry guessed were 'ingredients' for their joke shop items.  
  
"First of all," George began, opening one of the bags. "This is - "  
  
But Harry interrupted him. "Did you buy Ron some new dress robes?" he asked.  
  
"We sure did!" Fred grinned. "They're in there ..." Fred gestured towards the closet. Harry walked over and opened the door, and hanging inside were brand-new, lace-free, deep blue dress robes, the color of the night sky just before it turns black. They were astonishing. "Wow ..." Harry breathed. He turned around to face the twins, who were both grinning, looking very pleased with themselves. "Ron's going to be so happy!" Harry proclaimed.  
  
"We know." George said, looking slightly mischievous.  
  
"He's going to owe us one!" Fred agreed.  
  
Harry grinned. The dress robes Ron currently had were old, beaten-up, and second-hand. He certainly would be happy.  
  
"So, let's see what else you bought!" Harry said.  
  
"Okay," Fred began. He removed a thick book from the first bag, and showed the shiny cover to Harry. The title read:  
  
Enchantments and Charms to Trick Your Peers: Advanced Level  
  
"We only had the Intermediate Level." George explained.  
  
"We looked through this book in the shop," Fred continued. "And the spells in here are perfect for our plans!"  
  
They had also bought an assortment of potion-making ingredients to make more Canary Creams and other magical treats, and put in an order at the printing press in Diagon Alley to print up 1000 order forms.  
  
"So, how much do you have left over?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well, we put about 900 galleons in a new bank account at Gringotts." George said. "That'll gain interest over time."  
  
"The rest we spent or put in our pockets!" Fred finished.  
  
Harry was pleased that they had spent the gold wisely and didn't waste it. He was sure that if they continued inventing and eventually re-started Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, it would be a success. Mrs. Weasley would probably even be happy if they brought money into the family.  
  
"Well, good luck!" Harry exclaimed. "I hope your joke shop is a success."  
  
Fred and George merely grinned at him.  
  
"It's mostly thanks to you, mate!" Fred said happily. George nodded appreciatively.  
  
"Well, I'd better be getting to bed." Harry yawned. "Back to school tomorrow!"  
  
"Yeah," George said, glancing at Fred mischievously  
  
"We're planning to test out some of our new inventions at school this year." Fred said with a twinkle in his eyes. " Remember Neville last year? When he ate the canary cream?"  
  
Harry nodded, laughing. "That was hilarious!"  
  
"Well, expect more of that this year!" George said. "You were right, we're all going to need a few laughs now and then."  
  
Harry smiled at the twins and bid them goodnight. When he returned to Ron's room, he found Ron fast asleep.  
  
Harry sincerely hoped that Ron wasn't angry or upset at him for giving his Triwizard gold to Fred and George. They had been in a fight last year, and it was a terrible memory. Well, at least Ron would be happy about getting new dress robes.  
  
Harry settled down in bed comfortably, happily but nervously anticipating the next day back to school. Hogwarts was going to be very different this year with Voldemort's return. As Harry was dozing off to sleep, he suddenly remembered that he still hadn't gotten a reply from Sirius yet. Where was he? Harry made a mental note to talk to Dumbledore about it first thing the next day. 


	10. Chapter 10

In the morning, Harry woke up to the sun seeping in through a crack in the blinds. He yawned and stretched, and with one quick glance around the room, noticed that Ron had already gotten up. Harry suddenly remembered how Ron had seemed a little bit ticked off the night before. He shrugged it off, got dressed, and was about to go down to breakfast when he heard a soft knock at the door.  
  
"Yeah?" Harry called. "You can come in!"  
  
Hermione entered the room, looking tired.  
  
"Hi, Harry." she said sleepily.  
  
"Hi," Harry said, puzzled. "How much sleep did you get last night?"  
  
Hermione yawned. "Not much." she said.  
  
"Did you and Ginny stay up late last night talking?" he asked.  
  
"Well, no, actually." she said. "I just couldn't seem to fall asleep."  
  
"Why not?" he pressed on.  
  
"Well, I kept thinking about Ron." she said, blushing. "In case you didn't know, Viktor and I have decided just to stay friends. We just live much too far away from each other and it would simply never work."  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Any ways," she continued. "I think - well, I think I like Ron."  
  
There was a short pause. Harry grinned.  
  
"What?" she asked excitedly. "Does he like me too?"  
  
"You could say that." Harry said casually.  
  
"Well, did he say anything to you?" she questioned.  
  
"Well, no." Harry admitted, and Hermione looked disappointed. "But," he added, and she perked up a bit. "He's hinting at it all the time, and, well, the way he looks at you ... you can just kind of tell."  
  
Hermione smiled and hugged him happily.  
  
"Well, we'd better go down for breakfast." she said. "I was sent up here to wake you up."  
  
"OK." Harry replied. He left his trunk in the room, he would get it later.  
  
*  
  
Harry took a seat beside Ron at the table and helped himself to pancakes and maple syrup. He noticed Ron was being rather more quiet than usual. Harry sincerely hoped Ron didn't think that he and Hermione liked each other. Harry decided to tell Ron on the train about Hermione's feelings for him and that they had potential for a relationship. Ron would be so happy, and hopefully not mad at him. That was the last thing Harry needed right now, the beginning of the school year with his best friend mad at him.  
  
Harry was also beginning to feel more and more nervous and anxious about school starting this year. Voldemort was going to be a major part of his life from now on. Harry suddenly remembered what Mr. Weasley had told him ... something about a plan called the Order of the Phoenix ... and that Dumbledore was involved in the planning of it. What was it all about?  
  
Harry was disturbed from his wonderings by Mrs. Weasley coming down the stairs, looking flustered.  
  
"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said, rather curiously. "Do you need help with anything?"  
  
Mrs. Weasley looked at him and smiled. "No thank-you, dear." she said. She paused for a moment, gazing at him fondly, although almost worriedly. "We should get going soon, though. We don't want to miss the train!"  
  
Harry watched her leave the room, still looking rather bothered and hurried, but she also looked like ... something Harry couldn't quite place his finger on. 


	11. Chapter 11

Harry shrugged off the feeling that something could be wrong, and started getting his things together, since they were leaving soon. Soon they were all packed into the Weasley's new car and on their way to King's Cross Station. They arrived a good 20 minutes before the train was due to leave. Harry was extremely anxious to get safely aboard the train, and was looking around for Dumbledore everywhere. Mr. Weasley looked very stressed, and Mrs. Weasley looked nervous. They each went on either side of him as they walked through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Within seconds, they were standing on Platform 9 3/4 before a scarlet steam engine, the Hogwarts Express. With one quick glance around, Harry saw Dumbledore striding quickly towards him. Dumbledore looked anxious and relieved that they had arrived. He grasped Harry's hand and pulled him over towards the train. Before they got on board, Dumbledore kneeled down in front of Harry, and looked deep into his eyes.  
  
*  
  
"Harry, I need you to listen to me and understand." Dumbledore began, his hand firmly gripped on Harry's shoulder. "It's about Sirius."  
  
Harry blinked. No, he thought. Please, don't let something bad have happened.  
  
"Harry, this morning - " he paused uncomfortably, although trying to find a way to put it into words. He gulped, and continued talking. "This morning, Sirius was shot. It happened early, just after dawn. He -"  
  
"Is he -" Harry whispered. "dead?"  
  
"No," Dumbledore said, still looking deep into his eyes.  
  
Harry felt his eyes swell up with tears and his throat begin to tighten. What could have happened?  
  
"He was shot when he was in the form of a dog." Dumbledore said. "It happened in a farm field near Professor Lupin's house. Remus was currently a wolf, and they needed food. Sirius decided to try and steal some from a nearby farm, and when he was running away from an angry farmer, he got shot."  
  
"Where?" Harry said, his voice shaking with anger.  
  
"In the chest." Dumbledore answered. "He has a punctured lung. Harry -"  
  
Harry turned away. He couldn't believe it. Sirius was the only family Harry had ever had who appreciated him. Harry was constantly looking forward to the day when Sirius' name might be cleared and he could leave the Dursley's forever. A silent tear streamed down his face.  
  
"Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "They don't think that he's going to make it."  
  
"Where - where is he?" Harry stuttered. "And how long does he have?"  
  
"He's in the hospital wing at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said quietly. "You can see him when you arrive there. And -"  
  
Dumbledore paused, and then whispered, "They don't think he's going to make it through the night."  
  
At this point, Harry couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears began streaming down his face and he began to sob. Dumbledore pulled him close into a tight hug, and Harry felt overwhelmed with a fatherly-type of love. When they let go, Harry looked into Dumbledore's light blue eyes. He had never seen Dumbledore look so sad and distraught.  
  
He slowly stood up. "I'll meet you off the train when we arrive at Hogwarts and we will go straight to see Sirius."  
  
"OK." Harry said in barely a whisper. He was at a loss for words; this had come as such a  
  
shock. He had a very bad feeling about his year to come at Hogwarts. 


	12. Chapter 12

Harry slowly made his way back towards where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were standing with his trunk.  
  
"Thank-you for having me for the summer." Harry said automatically. More than anything he wanted to get to Hogwarts as soon as possible so he could see Sirius.  
  
"Sure thing, Harry." Mr. Weasley said, smiling.  
  
Mrs. Weasley, however, seemed to have sensed that something was wrong. "Are you alright, Harry?" she asked concernedly.  
  
"Yes," Harry said tonelessly. He wanted to get away from people and get onboard the train, alone, as soon as possible.  
  
"Well, bye, Harry." Mr. Weasley said, shaking his hand.  
  
"Take care, dear." Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully.  
  
Harry waved at them and turned towards the train, heaving his trunk along behind him. Should he tell Ron and Hermione about Sirius? Harry was overcome with emotion and shock, he hardly knew how to feel.  
  
*  
  
He slowly made his way over to the train and climbed aboard. As he was making his way through all the compartments in search of Ron and Hermione, he heard Malfoy's sneering voice coming from the compartment ahead. Harry slid the door open to find Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in the compartment with Ron and Hermione. Malfoy had obviously been bothering them.  
  
Malfoy turned to face Harry, a sneer on his face, but his expression quickly changed when they looked at each other. Malfoy backed away and stumbled. Harry raised and eyebrow, and glanced over at Ron and Hermione. They were also staring at Malfoy rather oddly.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle hoisted Malfoy up and helped him walk out of the compartment, throwing nervous looks at Harry over their shoulders as they went.  
  
Harry turned to face Ron and Hermione and was about to ask them what that was all about when Hermione took one look at Harry and let out a frightened cry.  
  
Ron, however, just stared at Harry, shocked.  
  
"Harry, your - your -" Ron gasped.  
  
"My what?" Harry asked, confused.  
  
Ron merely pointed at Harry's forehead, and Hermione had buried her face in Ron's shoulder.  
  
Harry slowly moved his hand up over his face and towards his forehead. He could feel heat radiating from his head, and he began to see a light being reflected onto his hand in the shape of a lightning bolt. He placed his hand on his scar, and suddenly what felt like a scalding white-hot wire burnt his hand. He let out a yell, and looked down into his palm to see a burn on his hand.  
  
Ron and Hermione were watching him with wide eyes.  
  
"Harry, it's -" Hermione stuttered. "It's glowing bright red. Your - your scar."  
  
"Get me a mirror." Harry said nervously. "And then we have to go see Dumbledore."  
  
Hermione rummaged through her trunk and pulled out a small pocket-sized mirror. She handed it to Harry with shaking hands.  
  
Harry immediately flipped it open and looked at himself in the mirror. He pulled the mirror closer to him and looked hard at his scar. It was dully burning fiery red on his forehead. Harry had never seen his scar look this way before. It had always been a thin black line, now it was slightly thicker and bright red. Even when he had pain in his scar, it looked the same. This worried Harry, especially since he felt no pain except heat when he put his hand close to it.  
  
Harry shut the mirror quickly, making Hermione jump.  
  
Ron edged away from Harry, towards the compartment door.  
  
"I'll go get Dumbledore." he said, and left quickly. 


	13. Chapter 13

Ron was back in almost an instant with Dumbledore by his side. Dumbledore quickly looked Harry up and down, his eyes pausing on his scar. Harry, once again, felt although Dumbledore was looking at him although he could see through him. Harry saw a look of terrible anger in Dumbledore's eyes. Harry had seen Dumbledore angry before, but this was way beyond anything he had ever experienced. Dumbledore's eyes, usually so light and sparkly blue, looked hard and dark. His hands were clenched into fists at his side, his right hand grasping his wand so tightly that his knuckles were slowly turning white. He strode across the room quickly towards Harry, kneeled down, and began examining his scar close-up. Harry could see the fiery red brightness of his scar being reflected in Dumbledore's eyes. Dumbledore quickly stood back up again and grabbed Harry's hand, leading him out of the room. Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione, who were watching him with looks of horror on their faces.  
  
Harry had never been so confused. What was going on? Why was his scar changing it's appearance? All sorts of thoughts and possibilities were running through his head, each as frightening as the next. What he really wanted to do was ask Dumbledore what was going on. He looked up at Dumbledore and saw the same look of terrible anger in his eyes.  
  
"Professor?" Harry asked timidly. "What's going on?"  
  
Dumbledore stopped walking and turned to face Harry. He sighed heavily and motioned for Harry to sit down. Dumbledore also sat.  
  
"Harry," he began. "There is so much you don't know ... but I suppose now is the time that you need to know the truth. You have to understand."  
  
He paused, and Harry nodded to indicate that he wanted to know what was going on, and that he understood how serious everything was.  
  
"Harry, your scar is burning like a red flame. It is also radiating heat. At first I was shocked. I never thought it would come to this." Dumbledore shook his head disbelievingly. "But then I realized that the only explanation I could think of was the only possibility. This is a very ancient spell that has been put on you."  
  
"A spell?" Harry asked, alarmed. "Put on me by who?"  
  
"I don't know." Dumbledore paused. "I can theorize. But I do know how and when."  
  
"Please, Professor." Harry pleaded. "I need to know."  
  
Dumbledore launched into a thorough explanation.  
  
"You are protected in so many ways, Harry. You are probably unaware of many of them. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were told by me to keep a very close watch on you while bringing you here to the station. Any death eater could have placed the spell on you on your way here. However, you were not protected while passing through the barrier between Platforms 9 3/4. They must have placed the spell on you then." Dumbledore paused for a short time, his eyes lingering on Harry's scar. Then he began to speak again. "The spell is called Locati Incantatem. What it has done is it has placed a locating device on you so Voldemort can detect where you are at all times. This is why we have all been very worried and protective of you lately. The only downside of the spell for the one who casts it is that sometimes a sign, a warning to the person who the spell has been cast upon, shows up on their skin as a fiery, hot marking. Yours has shown up on your scar, most likely because of your connection with Voldemort through that scar. The spell will remain cast upon you until the one who did the wandwork is identified and their wand is destroyed. It is a very powerful spell. This is why they were probably hiding, and also why I can say that it was for sure not Voldemort. If he himself was the one who cast the spell, it would be a dead giveaway. One of the death eaters has cast this spell on you. The problem is that we don't know who most of the death eaters are. Fortunately, the warning flame has shown up. This helps us somewhat, now at least we know that the spell has been cast. You will have to be very careful and watch out for yourself, Harry. We will keep watch over you as well." 


	14. Chapter 14

Harry nodded silently, and feeling although there was nothing more to be said, got up and left the room. On his way back to the compartment where Ron and Hermione were, so many thoughts were rushing through his head he felt overwhelmed. As he entered the compartment, he met the sight of Ron and Hermione talking in low, serious voices. They immediately became quiet when they saw him.  
  
Harry pretended to take no notice of this and slowly lowered himself into a nearby chair by the window. He watched the passing scenery for quite some time until he heard the lunch trolley coming near.  
  
"Anything for you, my dears?" the plump witch who pushed the trolley asked. She glanced over at Harry, who shook his head politely. He had rather lost his appetite. Ron and Hermione, however, bought some food. When she had left, they cautiously made their way over to where Harry was sitting and sat down.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione asked carefully.  
  
Harry turned to look at her. She looked very worried about him. He moved his gaze over to Ron, who was looking concerned.  
  
"Do you want some lunch?" Ron offered.  
  
Harry shook his head and looked back out the window. He wanted to tell them everything Dumbledore had said, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about it just yet. 


	15. Chapter 15

They arrived at Hogwarts sometime that evening. It was cool and cloudy, and Harry had slept through most of the ride. He made his way over to the horseless carriages, trailing behind Ron and Hermione. All he could think about was Sirius, and what sort of state he might be in now. More than anything he wanted to get to the castle as soon as possible to see him.  
  
He climbed into one of the carriages after Ron and Hermione, and they were soon joined by Ginny, who was eyeing Harry rather strangely. Harry assumed it was because his scar was burning. He wondered how many people had noticed it by now, and what sort of rumors were going around about it now. When they arrived at the castle and entered the Entrance Hall, Harry was immediately lead away by Dumbledore in the direction of the hospital wing. They were both silent. However, when they reached the door of the hospital wing, Dumbledore stopped walking and turned to face Harry. All he did was give one of those looks that made Harry feel although he was looking through him, nod seriously, and then open the door.  
  
In the far corner, half-hidden by the curtain, lay Sirius. He was moaning quietly every now and then, and his eyes were half-closed. Harry felt although everything good in his life was slowly washing away. It hurt Harry deeply to see his godfather in this state. He slowly made his way over to the bed where Sirius was laying, and sat down beside him. It took Sirius a few seconds to realize he was there.  
  
"Harry," Sirius said, sounding relieved that he was finally there. He reached up and with what little strength he had left, grasped Harry's hand and pulled him closer.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Sirius said. "I wanted to be a good godfather. I wanted to live to see you grow up - and be there for you -"  
  
Harry shook his head sadly. "But you were a good godfather. You were the only real family I have ever had. Don't leave me." he said desperately, grasping Sirius' hand even tighter.  
  
Sirius took a deep breath, and seemed to be trying to keep his emotions inside.  
  
Harry turned away, towards Dumbledore. "Isn't there anything they can do for him?" he asked pleadingly.  
  
Dumbledore slowly shook his head. "It was a muggle weapon. We can't do anything about it." he replied.  
  
Harry turned back to face Sirius, who was looking weaker by the minute.  
  
"Maybe -" Sirius paused, still holding in his emotions. "Maybe I'll see you again someday."  
  
A single tear slid down Harry's cheek as he continued to grasp his godfather's hand in his last moments.  
  
"I'll really miss you." Harry said.  
  
"Me too." Sirius said, smiling weakly. Then, slowly, he closed his eyes and his grasp on Harry's hand loosened. In a few minutes, he was gone.. 


	16. Chapter 16

Harry didn't go to the feast. Dumbledore, of course, had to leave to give out some announcements, so he left shortly after Sirius died. He gave Harry a short word of comfort, but Harry was certain they would talk more later. Suddenly, Harry realized that Ron and Hermione had no idea about Sirius' death, or even that he was shot at all. How was he going to tell them what happened? They would be as upset as him. They knew how much Sirius meant to Harry and they had grown to know Sirius too.  
  
Harry didn't have much of an appetite, so he politely refused the dinner Madam Pomfrey offered him. She looked at him, obviously concerned and very sympathetic. She laid one hand on his shoulder and gave him a small smile.  
  
"You'd better go along to bed, dear." she said comfortingly. "Get a good rest."  
  
Harry nodded. He got up from his seat and gave one last look at Sirius. He felt his eyes beginning to fill up with tears, so he quickly turned and left the hospital wing. Slowly he made his way up to the Gryffindor dormitory. He entered the common room to find Ron and Hermione sitting up waiting for him, the fire slowly dying out in the fireplace. Everyone else had gone to bed. Ron was white and pale, and Hermione looked although she had been crying. Dumbledore must have told them what happened. They were sitting together on the couch, and Ron had his arm around Hermione, looking although he was trying to comfort her. They both noticed Harry immediately when he walked in.  
  
Harry tried to say something, but he choked and no words would come out. Ron got up off the couch and made his way over to Harry. Then he did something he had never done before, and pulled Harry into a tight brotherly hug. At this point, Harry had tears streaming down his face, and hugged back. When they let go, Ron looked at Harry although he was going to say something, but before he could, they heard Hermione sobbing.  
  
"It's not fair," she cried. "You've lost your parents and your godfather. Why you?"  
  
Harry walked over to Hermione and hugged her, searching his mind for something comforting to say.  
  
"It'll be okay." He whispered in her ear, even though he wasn't entirely sure about that.  
  
When he let go, he sat down and none of them said much for awhile. They just sat there in silence, thinking, and eventually fell asleep.  
  
That night, Harry had a strange dream. He dreamt about Sirius, who was trying to tell him something. But every time Sirius got to the important part, there was a flash of green light, and a high pitched, cold laugh. He caught only bits of what Sirius was saying.  
  
"... coming back ... careful ... trust no one ... soon ..." Then there was a loud, sudden burst of green lightning, and Harry woke up in a cold sweat. Oddly enough, his scar wasn't hurting at all. What had that dream meant? Most all of Harry's dreams were true. He tried to guess at filling in the blanks of what Sirius was saying. '... coming back ...'. Who - Voldemort? No, he already knew that he was back. What was going to happen soon? Maybe Sirius knew something about a plan of Voldemort's to capture Harry.  
  
He checked his watch. Half-past seven in the morning, probably much too early to go see Dumbledore. Harry went over all the details of the dream in his mind, trying to decipher what it all meant. He shook his head, very confused. There was too much going through his head already to successfully figure it out just now. 


	17. Chapter 17

Suddenly he heard a moan, announcing Ron's awakening. Ron yawned and stretched, and then caught sight of Harry. A look came over Ron's face although all the events from last night had suddenly come rushing back into his mind. He looked away almost immediately, and shifted his gaze over to Hermione who was still sleeping soundlessly on the other side of the couch. There was an awkward silence.  
  
"Should we go down for breakfast then?" Ron asked timidly, glancing at Harry.  
  
Harry merely nodded. His thoughts were with Sirius, and would remain there for most of the day. Before he forgot, he made a mental note to go see Dumbledore later in the day. He wanted to tell him about his dream, of course, but he also wanted to know when Sirius' funeral would be, and also where he would be buried. Harry wondered if witches and wizards were buried in the same cemeteries as muggles. He guessed not, but he didn't know of another place where they would be.  
  
Ron and Harry thought it best not to wake Hermione, as she really looked although she could use another few hours of sleep. When they entered the great hall, they were surprised to find some of the Slytherins, including Malfoy, already awake and eating breakfast at their table.  
  
Harry was really not in the mood to get into anything with Malfoy, so he tried to slip by unnoticed. However, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't about to miss a chance to insult them. Malfoy came over with a look of superiority on his pale, drawling face. He waved a recent copy of the Daily Prophet in front of Harry's face tauntingly.  
  
"Guess what the headlines are this morning, Potter?" he said, eyes glinting.  
  
Harry kept his eyes down and served himself some eggs. He could only guess.  
  
"'Black's Dead Body Anonymously Turned Into the Ministry of Magic'" Malfoy read, pausing dramatically after hurtful words such as 'dead'. "So, what do you think of that, Potter? You didn't really think that he would never be caught, did you? Or that his name would ever get cleared?" Malfoy sneered and dropped the paper on Harry's plate, and walked back to the Slytherin table.  
  
Harry looked down at the paper and saw the picture of Sirius on the front page. His eyes began to well up with tears. He was about to get up and leave so as not to be seen by anyone, especially not Malfoy, when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.  
  
He turned and saw a tall figure in and emerald green cloak with a long white beard and sparkling gold-rimmed half-moon glasses through a blur of tears.  
  
"Harry," Dumbledore said. "I'd like to see you in my office for a moment, if you please."  
  
Harry nodded silently, and got up from the table with a quick 'See you later' to Ron. He followed Dumbledore to his office where he entered and sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk. He heard the door click shut behind him, as Dumbledore made his way over to his desk and sat down, staring at Harry intently, although he expected him to initiate conversation.  
  
"Professor," Harry began. "I had a dream last night. And seeing as how my dreams are usually true .. I thought it best to tell you about it."  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore answered. "Was it by any chance about Sirius, Harry?"  
  
"Well, yes," Harry replied, surprised. He continued talking and explained the dream in detail, from what Sirius seemed to be trying to tell him to the flashes of green lightning and high pitched laughter which usually represented Voldemort.  
  
When he was finished, Dumbledore nodded and looked although he was in deep concentration. "Well, Harry, I do believe that Sirius was certainly trying to communicate a message to you .. something important, definitely." He said. "I believe that he will succeed in communicating this message eventually, if not through a dream, then directly. The ones that we love never truly leave us. I think you have learned that by now. Sirius will be back, Harry. Just you wait and see."  
  
And with that final remark, Dumbledore stood up and Harry knew at once that it was time for him to leave. He nodded and left the room silently, Dumbledore's words ringing in the back of his head. What was he supposed to make of that? Sirius was dead. How could he come back? Harry shook his head. I'll just have to wait and see, he thought. 


	18. Chapter 18

Harry spent a lot of time over the next month mostly dragging himself around school, trying to remain unnoticed by his peers other than the occasional taunt from Malfoy. Of course everyone knew of Sirius' death, but almost no one knew that he was Harry's godfather, and Harry wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want any more sympathy, pity, or any kind of special treatment than he was already getting. He was very upset and depressed about Sirius' death but tried not to let it show for that reason. Ron and Hermione gave him his space because they knew he needed time to heal, but after about a month had passed, they began to try and get him back into a normal routine.  
  
"Come on, Harry, first Hogsmeade visit this weekend!" Ron said excitedly. "Don't you want to go?"  
  
Harry just looked away painfully. Usually when they went to Hogsmeade they sneaked off to go visit Sirius in the cave where he would be hiding with Buckbeak.  
  
"Come on, Harry." Hermione said gently. "It's time to move on. You really should go, you know, and get your mind off things."  
  
Harry looked at her. She looked back at him determinedly. He sighed and nodded, knowing she was right.  
  
That weekend, when they were lining up to go out in the horseless carriages that would bring them to Hogsmeade, Harry started lifting his head and allowing himself to be noticed for the first time in a month. He found that he started noticing things himself. He caught a glimpse of Ginny through the crowd standing with some of her fourth-year friends and suddenly realized that he had barely given her a thought in the past month, he had been so wrapped up in his own misery. He also realized that she must be totally heartbroken and thinking that he didn't care about her. He decided that he had to do the right thing; go talk to her and straighten things out. He hoped there wouldn't be too much tension between them, because he still cared about her and wanted to make things right again. He wanted to build a real relationship with her and just looking at her had made him actually realize that.  
  
Once they arrived in Hogsmeade, Harry saw that some things had changed. They had numerous kinds of new sweets at Honeydukes, which Ron was very pleased about, and many never heard of tricks at Zonko's, which made Fred and George excited. The outside of the Three Broomsticks had been painted, and the Shrieking Shack was one of the few places that remained the same. Harry stared at it for awhile and remembered that it was there that he had met Sirius for the first time. He stood there recalling the event clearly, right down to the last detail until Ron nudged him awake from his daydream.  
  
"What? Oh, sorry." Harry mumbled, and allowed himself to be pulled in the opposite direction of that memory of Sirius. They spent some time in the shops looking at all the new items, and as they were exiting the Three Broomsticks clutching butterbeers in their hands, Harry saw Ginny and some of her friends walking towards them. Harry's heart started beating twice its usual rate and he could feel tension creeping up on him.  
  
Hermione waved Ginny to come over, and they made small talk about things they had bought while one of Ginny's friends was eyed Ron with great interest. Ron, indulged in the sweets he had bought earlier, took no notice. Harry considered informing him, but thought twice and remembered how Ron and Hermione had seemed to be starting something of a relationship or at least a much closer friendship together. They had been getting along unusually well, that was for sure.  
  
When Ginny and Hermione were finished talking, Harry and Ginny caught each others eye and from what Harry saw in the look on Ginny's face, she had just been told about Sirius. The look on her face was a mix of shock, sympathy, and surprisingly, relief. Harry concluded that she was most likely relieved because she now knew that the reason Harry had been acting so strange was not anything to do with her but because of his loss of Sirius.  
  
Harry gave Ginny a small but honest smile, which she returned. He reached forward, took her hands, and pulled her away from the crowd.  
  
"I need to talk to you," he whispered.  
  
"I was wondering when you finally would," she whispered back with a slight smile on her face.  
  
He smiled a true smile for the first time in weeks. She made him so happy for unexplainable reasons.  
  
They found a comfortable place out on the grass to sit, and they talked for what seemed like hours about everything that had been going on in their lives. Harry apologized over and over again for not talking to her sooner, and let her know how much he liked her and cared about her and how much he had missed her. Ginny expressed her sympathy for his loss of Sirius and also her relief that she had found out that she meant something to him. Little did they know it, but they were slowly falling in love. 


End file.
